Electric valve circuit



Oct 24, 1944. M E. BlVENs y 2,361,169

ELECTRIC VALVE CIRCUIT Filed June 29, 1942 Inventor: Maurice E. Bivens,

b Wwf-,

` lMis Attorrwey.

Patented Oct. 24, 1944 ELECTRIC VALVE CIRCUIT Maurice E. Bivens, Schenectady, N.v Y., assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Appucaun June 29, 1942, serial No. 449,922 s claims. (ci. 1v1-119) My invention relates to electric valve circuits, and more particularly to electric circuits which transmitimpulses of current of predetermined duration to a load circuit.

In many industrial applications, such as electric resistance welding, electric valve means have been employed to effect transmission of accurately timed impulses of current in succession. In some applications the length of each current impulse is short and in these cases the speed at of current, such as an impulse of current of predetermined magnitudeare transmittedl to a load circuit, such \as a welding circuit in rapid succession. J

.Briefly stated, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of my invention I provide reversely connected electric valvemeans connected between' an alternating current supply circuit and a load circuit such as the transformer i of a resistance welding circuit. 'Ihe electric valve means are controlled in an improved manner to permit the transmission of accurately timed impulses of current to the welding transformer in. very rapid succession. More particularly, the electric valves are controlled so that in response to closure of a weld initiating switch current fiows for only a half cycle of the supply voltage or a predetermined :portion thereof. The

control circuit is arranged so that it is immediately ready to function to effect another period of energizationofv the load circuit upon opening and reclosing of the weld initiating switch. In

other words, the control circuit is not operated on an energy storage basis and for this .reason does not require time to return to a proper condition for a succeeding weld initiating operation The time in the anode-cathode voltage wave of the electric valves that conduction is initiated is determined by the phase relation of acontrol voltage peak which is rectied to render an auxiliary or control electric valve conducting. The auxiliary valve is energized from lsupply circuit II. also may include electric valves I2 and I3 which impressing suddenly a direct current voltage onthe primary of a transformer, the secondaries of which are connected to impress positive voltages of peaked wave form on the control members controlling the conductivity of the main electric valves. Only one positive impulse is impressed on the control members which control the conductivity of the main electric valves regardless of the period during which the control switch is held closed. The impulses are both o'f the same polarity so that whichever main electric valve is disposed to conduct for the particular hall' cycle conducts current.

For a better understanding of my invention reference'may be had to the following description taken in connection-With the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawing Fig. 1 represents an embodiment of my invention applied to a half cycle electric resistance welding system employing electric discharge apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a modification. Y

Referring now to Fig. 1 ofthe drawing, my invention is there diagrammatically illustrated as applied to electric translating apparatus for energizing a load circuit, such as a resistance welding circuit Il), from an alternating current The translating apparatus are preferably of the type employing an ionizable medium and each comprises an anode I4, a cathode I5 of conducting liquid such as mercury, and an immersion igniter tyrpe control member I6. The electric valves I2 and I3 are reversely connected between the alternating current supply circuit I I and the primary winding I1 of a welding transformer I8 having the secondary windingA I9 thereof connected to energize the resistance welding circuit I0.

'Ihe immersion igniter control members I6 are of material having "a high electrical resistivity compared with that of the associated mercury pool cathode and require the transmission of a predetermined minimum amount of current 'therethrough in order to initiate an arc discharge between the anode and the cathode. In order to control the iiow of current through the immersion igniter control member auxiliary or ring valves are associated withvthe main electric valves I2 and I3, respectively. Each of the valves 20 and 2l are preferably of the type employing an ionizable medium and each comprises an an- 'ode 22, a cathode 23, a control member or grid a direct current source and provides means for 24 and a second control member or shield grid `ing circuit in the desired manner.

25. The anode-cathode circuit of valves 26 and 2| are connected in parallel with the anode |4 and control member I6 of the main electric cal, only one will be described. The cathode-tof control-member circuit of each of the valves 26 and 2| includes in series resistors 21, 25, 29 and 30. Resistor 25 and a capacitor 3| connected in parallel therewith provides a self-biasing circuit and resistor 36 is a current limiting resistor. Re-

sistors 21 and 28 provide impedance elements across which are impressed control voltages for eifecting the transmission of current to the weld- 'I'he shield grid 25 is connected directly to the cathode 23 and a filter capacitor 32 yis connected between the cathode and the control member or grid 24 to eliminate the eifect of transients on the action of the control member.

The control circuit for effecting the energization of resistors 21 andf 28 to effect the desired energization of the welding circuit will now be described. A transformer 33 having a tapped primary winding 34 energized from the alternating current circuit provides a source of alternating current control voltage. TheV secondary Winding 35 of transformer 33 is provided with a midtap 36 which forms one of the output terminals of a phase sluiting circuit which includes,l

in addition to the winding as, a capacitor 31 and an adjustable resistor 38 connected across the end terminals of the transformer winding 35. 'I'he common terminal 39 of the capacitor 31 and resistor 38 provides the other output terminal -of the phase shifting circuit. Connected between the output terminals as and as of the phase shifting circuit is a series circuit including an adjustable resistor 40, an inductance 4|, capacitance 42, primary winding 43 of a peaking transformer 44 having a. midtapped secondary winding 45..

The inductance 4| and capacitance 42 form a lter for the primary circuit of the peaking transformer 44 and the adjustable resistor 40 provides means for adjusting the phase of the peaked voltage produced by the peaking transformer. This circuit is often referred to as a resistance peaking transformer circuit. The particular circuit utilized for obtaining voltage peaks including the filter is described and claimed in Patent 2,246,177,

, Le Voy, Jr., dated June 17, 1941, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

For the purposes of the present invention the control circuit thus far described, including the peaking transformer, provides means for producing voltages of peaked wave form every half cycle of the alternating current supply voltage of the circuitll and-having a phase relation with respect thereto which depends upon the adjustment of the resistor 35 and the resistor 40. In

accordance with the present invention this* peaked voltage is converted to a control voltage which occurs at a time in the anode-cathode voltage of the main electric valves determined by the peaked 'voltages of the winding 45 but which occurs only once'for each closure of a v controlling switch, such as a weld initiating valves |2 and t3, respectively, through suitable i jresistor 12.

switch A supply of direct current control voltage is provided bythe conductors 46 and 41 which are energized by the output of a full wave rectifier comprising a transformer 48 having'the primary winding 43 thereof energized from the secondary winding 35 of transformer 33 and a midtapped secondary winding 5I, an electric discharge device 5| having a pair of unilaterally conducting paths is interposed between the winding 50 and conductors 46 and 41, in a manner well understood, to convert the alternating current voltage of the winding 56 to a direct current voltage. A series inductive reactor 52 and a shunt capacitor 53 provide means for filtering the direct current voltage output of the rectifier circuit. An aux- G iliary or control electric valve 54, which is also preferably of the type utilizing an ionizable medium, comprises an anode 55, a cathode 56 and a control member or grid 51. The anodecathode circuitof the electric valve 54 is connected in series witha current limiting resistor 55 and the primary winding 53 of a peaking transformer having secondary windings 6| and 62. This series circuit is connected to be energized from a portion of the voltage between conductors 46 and 41 under the control of a circuit controlling means 63 which may be operated periodically either manually or as illustrated, by means of cam 63a driven from the operating mechanism for the electrodes ofI the welding machine (not shown). 'I'he portion of the voltage of conductors 46 land 41 which is impressed on the series circuit including the anodecathode circuit of the electric valve 54 is determined bythe position of a movable tap 64 on voltage dividing resistors 65 and 66 which are connected across the conductors 46 and 41. A voltage limiting resistor 61'is connected in shunt with the transformer primary winding 59 and resistor 58.

.In order to control the conductivity of the electric valve 54 in accordance with the voltage peaks produced in the winding 45 of peaking transformer 42 I provide means for introducing a control voltage in the form of a positivebias in the cathode-to-control-member circuit of the electric valve 54 produced by rectifying thevoltage peaks of the winding 45. To this end an electric discharge valve 68 having two unilaterally conducting paths connected with the midtapped transformer winding 45 to provide a full wave rectifier circuit, the output of which is impressed across voltage dividing resistors 58 and 10. This rectied voltage may be considered a double frequency voltage of 'peaked wave form. The terminalof resistor 65 forming the negative terminalof the direct current circuit energized by the transformer 45 and cooperatingelectric discharge valve 68 is connected with the conductor 41. A conductor 1| connects the common terminal of resistors 68 and 15 to the control member 51 through a suitable current limiting A suitable filtering capacitor 13 is connected between control member 51 and the cathode 56. From an inspection of the drawing it will be seen that the cathode-to-control-member circuit ofthe electric valve'54 includes the portion of the voltage dividing resistor 65 included between the tap 54 and the negative con-` former 60 are connected across the resistors 26 in the cathode-to-control-member circuits of the electric valves 2li and 2|, respectively, to impress thereon a peaked voltage when electric valve 54 is rendered conductive and a transient current ows through winding 59 of the transformer 30. The windings 6I and 62 are so connected that the voltages thereof tend to render electric valves 20 and 2| conductive simultaneously. In

order to maintain the electric valves 20 and 2| nonconductive except when the turn on voltage is impressed on the resistors 28 an alternating current holdoil voltage is impressed across the resistors 21. means comprises a transformer 14 having a primary winding 15 energized from the alternating current circuit II by means of the transformer secondary winding 35.V The transformer 14 comprises secondary windings 16 and 11 which are connected across the resistors 21 associated with the cathode-to-control-member circuits of electric valves 20 and 2|, respectively. Capacitors 18 are connected across resistors 21 to suppress undesirable transients in the control circuit. The alternating current voltages impressed on the resistors 21 are substantially in phase opposition with the anode-cathode voltages of the electric valves I2 and |3, respectively, so that these voltages provide alternating current holdoi voltages tending to maintain the electric valves 20 and 2|, and consequently the valves I2 and I3, nonconductive.

If desired, a voltage limiting means such as a resistor 11 may be connected across the'primary windings l1 of the welding transformer I8 to provide for the dissipation of stored electro-magnetic energy of the transformer core when the circuit is interrupted by the electric valve meansv I2 and I3.

The operation of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1 will beexplanied by considering the system arranged to operate as' a half cycle Welder, that is, when it is intended to transmit a half cycle or a predetermined portion of a half cycle of current to the welding circuit I0 in response to'each closure of the circuit controlling means |53. For the sake of simplicity the heater circuits for the Vheated iliaments o1' the electric valves has not been shown.

, circuit position a voltage appears across resistor 69 during each half cycle of supply circuit voltage for a short interval. This voltage is the rectiiled output of the peaking transformer 44 which As illustrated in the drawing, thisl produces a peak at an instant in each half cycle as the description proceeds that both of these resistors provide means for controlling the portion of the half cycle during which current is transmitted to the load circuit and lin this way provide a heat control for the welding system. If the welding switch 63 is now closed a direct current voltage is impressed on the anode-cathode circuit of the electric discharge valve 54. The valve 54 is maintained nonconductive by the bias voltage appearing across the portion of resistor 65 included between tap 64 and the conductor 41 until such time as the next voltage peak is induced in winding 45, when the rectified peak appearsl across resistor 69 as a positive bias to render electric discharge valve 54= conductive. The initiation of conduction in valve 54 causes a transient current to dow through the primary winding 59 of the transformer 6I! and induces a peaked voltage in the transformer windings 6| and 62. As previously mentioned, both windings 6| and 62 are connected with resistors 28 with such a polarity that the initiation of a transient ilow of current in the winding 59 due to conduction of valve 54 produces a voltage across impedances 28 tending to render electric valves 20 and 2| conductive. The voltage across impedance 28 is of suihcient magnitude to overcome the holdoff voltages and render one of the valves 20 or 2| conductive depending upon which anode is positiveat the particular instant. Since the transformer 60 is energized by the transient flow of current only one peak of each polarity is produced for Ila period of conduction of electric valve 54. The resistor 58 in series with the anodecathode circuit of the valve 54 limits the steady state current conducted by the valve and the resistor 61 connected in parallel with transformer winding 59 and resistor 58 provides a path for current to flow when electric valve 54 ceases conducting due to interruption ofthe circuit by circuit controlling means 63. This path permits the gradual dissipation of stored energy of transformer 60 and in this way to limit the negative voltage peaks produced across resistor 28,

From the foregoing description it is seen that the closure of switch 63 effects conduction of either valve |2 or |3 for a predetermined portion of a half cycle of the alternating current supply voltage dependent upon the instant that the voltage peaks are produced in the winding 45. It will also be noted that the impulse of current impressed on the load circuit occurs at the instant the anode-cathode voltage of one of the electric valves I2 or I3 reaches themagnitude determined by the phase relation of the v'voltage peaks produced in winding 45 regardless of the polarity of these'voltages. Thus the utilization of the reversely vconnected valves for the half cycle Welder with the control provided by the present invention effects energization of the load in synchronous relation with respect to the instantaneous magnitude of the supply voltage but at random with respect to the polarity of the alternating current supply voltage. It will also be noted that the control circuit for rendering the electric valves l2 and I3 conductive does not depend upon energy storage and for this reason may be operated at very high speed and is eiective to produce a current impulse in the welding circuit each time switch 63 is closed.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the system of Fig. 1 is utilized as a half wave Welder with the impulse supplied to a load circuit at random with respectto the polarity of the half cycles of voltage of the alternating current supply circuit, the eiiect of the residual magnetism of the transformer may not be uniform for all of the impulses. In Fig. 2 is shown a modification of my invention in :which the power circuit is arranged so that regardless of the polarity oi the half cycles of the supply circuit during which a current impulse is supplied to the load circuit the magnetization of the welding transformer is always in the same direction. Thecontrol circuit has been `omitted from Fig. 2 but it will be understood that the same control as described in detail in connection with Fig. l may be used. y Y

Referring now to Fig. 2 the welding transformer I8 is provided with two sections, Ila and I'lb. The electric valve means i2 and I3 are reversely connected with respect to the alternating current supply circuit ii but are con nected with respect to sections ila and ilb so that each valve supplies current to adiilerent section. The sections are arranged on the core of the transformer I8 so that current supplied to the load durin'g either half wave of voltage of the supply circuit produces magnetomotive force in the same direction in the core structure of the transformer. From an inspection of the drawing it is apparent that an impulse of current conducted by valve I2 is supplied to the winding section l'la and by the valve means i3 to the winding sectionl '1b. The operation of the control system is the same as that described above. It will be apparent that with this arrangement the number of impulses supplied to the load circuit during positive half cycles of supply voltage may vary widely from the number of impulses supplied to the load circuit during negative half cycles of the supply circuit voltage without affecting in any way the uniformity of the current impulses supplied to the welding load circuit. 'Ihis contributes to uniformity in the welds produced. Y

While I have described what I` at present consider preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention, and I, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modiiications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is: Y

l. In combination, an alternating current supply circuita load circuit, a pair of electric valve mean interconnecting said circuits and disposed to supply current impulses to said load circuit during half cycles of voltage of opposite polarity of said supply circuit, a control member associated with each of said electric valve means, switching means, means for effecting successive circuit'closing operations of said switching means at random withmrespect to the voltage of said alternating current supply circuit, means operated in response to each circuit closing operation of said switching means to energize said control members to eifect conduction ofonly that one of said electric valve means whoseV anode voltage rst reaches a predetermined positive value after circuit closing operation f said switching means, and means for controlling said last mentioned mean to establish saidV predetermined value;

posed to supply current impulses to said load circuit during half cycles of voltage of either polarity of said supply current, a control electrode associated with each of said electric valve means, means for impressingon said control electrodes a hold-on voltage, means for modlfying the eifect of said hold-of! ,voltage includ-2 'ing circuit controlling means, means for eilecting successive operations of said circuit controlling means at random with respect to the voltage o1' said alternating current supply circuit, and means for synchronizing the operation of said means for modifying said hold-oi! voltage with the alternating current supply circuitvoltage to eil'ect the conduction of only that one of said electric valve means whose anode ilrst reaches a predetermind positive value of voltage after each operation of said circuit controlling means.

3. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit including a pair of electric valve means interconnecting said circuits and oppositely disposed with respect to said supply circuit to transmit current impulses to said load circuit during half cycles of voltage of either polarity of said supply circuit, a control member associated with each oi' said electric valve means, means for impressing on said control members a hold-ofi voltage, switching means. means for eifecting successive circuit closing operations of said switching means, means operated in response to operation of said switching means to modify said hold-otf voltage to effect conduction oi' only that one of said electric valve means whose anode iirst reaches a predetermined positive voltage after each circuit closlng'opration of said switching means, and means including a source of double frequency voltage having adjustable phase relation with respect to the voltage of said alternatingcurrent supply circuit for establishing said predetermined value.

4. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit including a pair of electric valve means interconnecting said circuits and oppositelyl disposed with respect to said supply circuit to transmit current impulses to said load circuitduring half cycles of voltage circuit closing operation of said switching means 2. In combination, an alternating current sup- -ply circuit, a load circuit, a pair of electric valve means interconnecting said circuits and disto eilect successive energizations of said auxiliary electric valve from said source of control voltage, means for rendering said auxiliary electric valve conductive at the iirst instantafter each closure of said switching means that the voltage o f said supply circuit reaches a predetermined magnitude irrespective of polarity,

and means responsive to the conduction of said auxiliary electric valve for rendering only one of said electric valve means conducting.

5. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit, a pair of electric valve means interconnecting said circuits and oppositely disposed with respect to said supply circuit to transmit current impulses to said load circuit during half cycles of voltage of either polarity of 'said supply circuit, each of said electric valve means including a control electrode, a control circuit for energizing said control electrodes comprising a source of control voltage, an auxiliary electric valve including an anode and a cathode and switching means, means connecting said source of control voltage and the anode-cathode circuit of saidfvalve with said switching means in series circuit relation, means for operating saidswitching means to effect successive circuit closing operation thereof at random with respect to the voltage of said alternating current supply circuit, and means for rendering said auxiliary electric valve conductive the first instant after each closure of said switching means that the voltageof said supply circuit reaches a predetermined magnitude irrespective of the polarity of said voltage to render only one of said valve means conductive for each closure of said switching means.

6. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit, electric translating apparatus interconnecting said circuits includ ing electric valve means having a control member, means for impressing an alternating current holdofl voltage on said control member to maintain said valve means nonconductive, a transformer having a secondary Winding connected to impress a voltage on said control member to overcome said holdoff voltage, and a primary winding, a source of direct, current voltage, an auxiliary electric valve having an anode, a cathode and a control member, mechanical switching means, means connecting said source of direct current voltage, the anode-cathode circuit of said auxiliary valve and said mechanical switching means in series circuit relation with the primary winding of said transformer, means for effecting circuit closing operation of said switching means periodically, and means including a source of voltage having an adjustable phase relation with respect to said alternating current supply circuitl for rendering said auxiliary valve conductive at a predetermined instant in the voltage wave of the alternating current supply circuit to produce a single transient current flow in the primary winding of said transformer for each closure of said mechanical switching means and thereby produce a voltage peak in the secondary winding thereof to render said electric valve means conductive at said predetermined point in the supply circuit voltageL '7. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit including a transformer 5 having a pair of winding sections, a pair of electric valves interconnecting said supply and` said load circuit and disposed 'to supply current to a different one of said Winding sections during half cycles of opposite polarity of said supply circuit, a control member associated with each of said valve means for controlling the initiation of conduction'therein, and a control circuit for controlling energization of said control members to effect periodic conduction o one or the other of said valves at random for a predetermined portion of a half cycle of said supply circuit voltage, the connections between said valves and said winding sections being such that current conducted by either of said valves producesl a flux in said transformer in the same direction so that the operation of said translating apparatus is uniform regardless of inequalities in the number of impulses supplied by each of said valves.

` 8. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit including a transformer, a pair of electric valves interconnecting said transformer and said supply circuit and disposed to conduct current during half cycles of voltage of opposite polarity of said supply circuit and to produce a flux in the core of said transformer in the same direction regardless of the polarity of the half cycle of said supply circuit during which one of the valves is conducting,

a control member associated with each of said 35 valves for controlling initiation of conduction MAURICE E. BIVENS. 

